Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has opened up about the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) loss against his former side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), in the 2025 edition. The spinner identified the reason for their loss in the final against RCB.

Yuzi Chahal stated that things would have been different if South Africa pacer Marco Jansen was in the team in the final. The Proteas pacer had to return to South Africa and was unavailable due to the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

In the final, we missed Jansen- Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal discussed the IPL 2025 final on AB de Villiers’ YouTube channel ahead of RCB’s opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). PBKS qualified for the final after more than a decade; however, their search for a maiden IPL title continues.

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Yuzvendra Chahal said, “In the final, we missed Jansen as he was not there. If he was there, we would have definitely won the championship. The way he bowled throughout the tournament was brilliant, and batting too, he was capable of hitting two to three sixes in the end. We are even more confident now because of the way he is bowling. It’s not going to be easy for the opposition openers.”

Chahal also opened up about his poor performance in the IPL after he returned from the rib injury. He said, “I was a bit disappointed with myself. After the KKR game, I had a rib fracture, and later, my knuckle got fractured. So in the semifinal and final, I wasn’t able to bowl my proper leg-spin. This year, I want to take care of my body first.”

I’ve stopped drinking alcohol- Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal also stated that he is eager to enhance his quality as a senior player and his level of fitness. He claims that one of the more significant benefits he has been seeing in his body after staying away from alcohol.

“I’ve stopped drinking alcohol, and it’s been more than six months. I am now 35, so I want to be more active and give my 150% for my team. As a senior player, I want people in the IPL to learn something from me.”

Yuzvendra Chahal to give PBKS their first title

Yuzvendra Chahal is the most successful bowler in IPL history, with 221 wickets in 172 matches since 2013. He is also leading the chart with the number of wickets taken in the competition. He has been recognised for courage and attacking bowling ability even in smaller grounds like M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where he has played the most matches of his IPL career.

The IPL is set to begin from March 28, with RCB taking on SRH in the opening day at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. All the teams have joined their respective camps for the training sessions ahead of the tournament.

The IPL committee and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have announced the first 20 matches of the toughest T20 league in the world due to the Assembly Election.

Also Read: “That is a massive luxury”: EX-RCB captain highlights Mumbai Indians’ biggest strength ahead of IPL 2026

Jerome Powell (AP file photo)

US Federal Reserve policy: Jerome Powell-led Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on Wednesday kept interest rates unchanged within the 3.50%-3.75% band. “In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3‑1/2 to 3‑3/4 percent. In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks. The Committee is strongly committed to supporting maximum employment and returning inflation to its 2 percent objective,” the FOMC statement said.“Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has been little changed in recent months. Inflation remains somewhat elevated,” the policy statement said.The policy statement flagged ‘uncertainty’ related to the US-Iran conflict. “Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated. The implications of developments in the Middle East for the US economy are uncertain. The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate,” it said.Experts had said that fears of oil prices stoking inflation were unlikely to push the Federal Reserve toward raising interest rates at this week’s meeting. While markets and economists had earlier anticipated that the next move would be a rate cut, that conviction has weakened since the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28.US President Donald Trump has consistently urged Fed Chair Jerome Powell to lower borrowing costs. Trump has nominated former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh—seen as supportive of rate cuts—to succeed Powell when his term ends in mid-May, although challenges to that transition remain.The US economy currency faces persistent inflation, softening labour demand, and an “uncertain” outlook shaped by the conflict in Iran.In an 11–1 decision, policymakers held the benchmark rate within the 3.50% to 3.75% range, while indicating that one rate reduction is expected before the end of the year.With inflation, as measured by the Fed’s preferred gauge, staying above its 2% target for five consecutive years, some policymakers had already been considering keeping the option of a rate hike open even before the Iran conflict drove crude oil prices up by about 50% and pushed US gasoline prices sharply higher.Earlier today, US wholesale inflation data exceeded expectations in February. Data released by the Labor Department on Wednesday showed that the producer price index (PPI) – which tracks price changes before they reach consumers – rose 0.7% compared to January and increased 3.4% from February 2025. The annual rise marked the strongest pace since February 2025.The uptick, partly fueled by a notable jump in food prices between January and February, was higher than economists had anticipated. Notably, these increases occurred before the US and Israel’s strike on Iran led to a sharp surge in energy costs.